Israel’s Nir Bergman wins director’s prize in Tallinn
‘Pink Lady’ explores taboo gay male relationships in the ultra-Orthodox world
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
Israel’s Nir Bergman won the Best Director prize at the Tallinn film festival for his latest film “Pink Lady,” about gay male relationships in the ultra-Orthodox community.
“Pink Lady” competed for eight awards at the Tallinn, Estonia event known as the Black Nights Film Festival held November 8 through 24.
The 106-minute film was written by Mindi Ehrlich, who was raised in Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox community, married at 18 and a mother by 19, before divorcing and leaving the close-knit community.
The sensitive family drama tells the story of a young Haredi mother who learns that her husband is being blackmailed with intimate photos that link him to his study partner.
It is a story that digs into the community of gay ultra-Orthodox men who have to live an invisible life in a community where homosexuality is prohibited, as Bati, the wife, first tries to sexually entice her husband to “cure” him.
As the drama around her husband unfolds, Bati is forced to reconsider herself and her life, and, as such, the story is told from her point of view, a first in stories of the gay Haredi community on screen.
According to a Variety interview with Bergman and Ehrlich, the screenwriter drew from her own experience to write the script.
She first discussed the project with Bergman five years ago while studying screenwriting at Jerusalem’s Sam Spiegel School of Film & Television, where Bergman teaches film.
The veteran director is known for “Broken Wings” and TV series “BeTipul,” later turned into HBO’s “In Treatment,” among other films.
